10 Best Fitness Apps to Boost Your Motivation

There are streaming classes available in 12 different disciplines, from yoga to strength training to cycling—and you no longer need to have an Apple Watch to use it. Apple product owners can access Fitness+ built into the new Fitness app, with the latest iOS update. Consider the workouts you enjoy or want to check out, whether that’s yoga, strength training, cardio, or HIIT.

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• Paid plans are around $14.99 per month, but don’t be surprised if you get a discount as a first-time user.
• Anthony O’Reilly, CPT, CNC, has been following the Shred7 programming—a daily 7-minute high-intensity interval training program.
• Best-known for its at-home indoor cycling classes with one of the best exercise bikes in the biz, Peloton is among the most popular home fitness apps right now.
• If an app requires you to have access to a full gym or only has a small percentage of workouts that can be performed with minimal equipment, that was cause for a 1- or 2-star rating.
• Ultimately, it’s about finding what personally inspires and drives you to keep showing up and putting in the work.
• Once you complete a quick quiz about your fitness level, goals, injury history, and your preferred coaching style, you’re paired with your instructor.

Having a personal trainer at your disposal can be great for staying diligent in your training, nutrition, and wellness journeys. That said, hiring an individual for these needs can have hourly rates ranging from $25 to over $100. (1) Thankfully, Caliber offers three tiers of subscriptions that cater to a variety of budgets. The best workout app for you will vary depending on your fitness goals, budget, preferred training method, and the level of coaching you desire. Nobody wants to pay for something they may not like, so fitness apps with free trials earn higher points than those without.

How We Tested and Chose the Best Workout Apps

Others benefit from social apps like Strava where challenges and “kudos” from friends keep you motivated. And you’d be surprised how a good spreadsheet or basic workout log might work better than an expensive app with videos and plans. Start your personalized fitness journey with elite 1-on-1 personal training from just $14 per session. MyFitnessPal is a comprehensive app that helps you track your food intake and exercise. With a vast database of foods and exercises, it allows you to set personal goals and monitor your progress.

So, if you’re performing an iFIT workout on a NordicTrack treadmill, your machine will react to the coach’s lead, providing an ever-changing cardio session to keep things fresh. You can deviate from the workout plan given by BetterMe, though, as there is an entire workout library. That said, Nicole notes that you may have to dig around to find what you need.

When it comes to maintaining a consistent fitness routine, variety and inspiration are key factors in staying motivated. Luckily, there are several apps available that offer a wide range of workout routines and exercises to keep things fresh and exciting. These apps provide users with the opportunity to mix up their workouts, try new exercises, and avoid hitting a plateau in their fitness journey. Whether fitness apps “work” is a subjective question, as your results with each platform rely heavily on how dedicated you are to using the services. Fitness apps can provide helpful instruction, engaging workouts, and even personalized coaching, but you need to have some willpower to use the assistance in your personal fitness journey. It’s best to think of fitness apps as tools — they can make the job easier, but you need to do the actual work.

Typically, you can go at your own pace and won’t need to follow a live class or workout video. That said, the best workout apps will provide a short video or animation to demonstrate each movement properly. Staying motivated on your fitness journey can be challenging, but the right fitness apps can make all the difference.

Factors to consider when choosing a workout app

Lifters, old and new, may not appreciate BetterMe as the majority of the workouts are bodyweight with several dumbbells-only workouts. Still, it gets a 5 out of 5 for equipment demands, as people can do these workouts almost anywhere, but it’s not the best app for strength training. BetterMe gets a 4 out of 5 in its initial setup, since you begin with a quiz on your fitness goals, mobility issues, sleep schedule, and more.

Best Workout App for Live Classes: iFIT

Nike is better than the average workout app in nearly every category, which is very rare for a free workout platform. However, she does note that the app can send you notifications if you enable them in your settings, and you can join programs or challenges. Overall, Amanda gives Nike Training Club a 3.5-star rating for accountability. While we love Boostcamp, and there’s a free version, it’s pretty limited in terms of scope.

Ladder Strength Training

These digital training tools are dedicated to helping your workout performance. Get expert-tested reviews, real data, and no-BS recommendations sent to your inbox. It’s also an intuitive app to use, as Nicole rates both the setup and ease of use a solid 5 out of 5. We like that Aaptive is more affordable than the average app while still offering plenty of value, especially for beginners.

How Much Do the Best Workout Apps Cost?

While we think this is the best overall workout app, it’s really meant for athletes who want to follow pre-made programs rather than those who simply want an app to track their existing workouts. It’s good, but it’s a little limiting for those who want to make their own training plan. Users have shared ⁣diverse experiences ⁢with fitness⁤ motivation tools, often ‍highlighting how these apps have transformed their approach ​to⁤ workouts.

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Some positive reviews people have shared are that the app finally got them to be more active, while another says it gave them the freedom to get in shape on their own time frame. Pliability isn’t just an app—you can also stream its content on your computer—but iPhone users can access all of the content natively on their device. You can engage with other Ladder users to help spur you on to greater PRs and loftier goals without trying to make awkward small talk at your gym. The app really shines, though, if you use a Peloton bike or treadmill, since the classes are centered around that equipment. You can definitely fire up a class on your phone or iPad at the gym, but using Peloton’s actual hardware makes things easier.

Goals

In order to move on to new workouts and learn different exercises, you have to complete your previous workouts. Our tester appreciated this, as the app pushes you to master your current workout before moving on. This beginner-friendly workout app can be accommodating for a range of different skill sets and equipment setups.

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We recognize this scoring system isn’t perfect because personal training apps can cost much more to the tune of hundreds of dollars per month. This can be a little subjective, but this score is based on whether we feel the cost justifies what you’re getting. To earn 3 out of 5 stars for value, we feel that what you get for the price is fair, while high scores are given to fitness app for muscle gain apps that provide exceptional value for the cost. Our product testers were tasked with evaluating multiple fitness apps and rating them on a 1-to-5-star scale across a variety of categories.

“Seeing my fitness rings on my Apple Watch worked really well for me in terms of keeping me on track with my workouts,” says Kate, who gave Future 4 out of 5 stars for interactive features. He also docked a couple of points for progressive overload, giving Fitbod 3 out of 5 stars. The Fitbod App is a high-tech AI-powered fitness platform that personalizes workouts and adapts them over time based on your progress. Although there is not a free version, the subscription is affordable and allows you to workout with whatever equipment you have. Muscle Booster also earned perfect marks in the accountability and progressive overload categories.

Zwift Companion also lets you send messages to your friends and join clubs based on your fitness level and preferences. GGR expert product tester Logan Block reports his coach, Layne, is personable and energetic. He also took my feedback into account when designing workouts going forward,” says Logan, who gave Future 5 out of 5 stars for progressive overload. The questionnaire that helps program for you asks questions about your experience level, equipment available, and the type of training you are focusing on.